Improvement in apparatus for raking gas-retorts



T. F. RUWLAND.

Apparatus for Baking Gas Retorts. No. 137,486. ParentedApril1,1s73.

` AM. PHaminwaemPH/c caMMosao/mf mams) UNITED STATES PATENT QrrroE.;

THOMAS F. ROWLAND, OF-GBEEN POINT, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR RAKING GAS-RETORTS.

Specification forming partvof Letters Patent No. 137,4S6, dated April 1,1873; application filed January 30, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, THOMAS F.RowLAND, of Green Point, Brooklyn, in theState of New York, have invented certain Improvements Relating toMachines for Emptying Gas-Retorts, of which the following is aspecification:

I have devised mechanism which overcomes many of the objectionsheretofore f'ormidable in the raking out or discharging of retorts bymachinery.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means ofcarrying out the several details. The accompanying drawing forms apartof this specification.

Figure l is a back view of the frame which carries the rakes, and avertical section of the supporting framing and gearing. Fig. 2 is avertical section at right angles to Fig. l. Fig. 3` is a horizontalsection. Fig. 4 represents the preferable form of the friction-clutcheswhich I employ to reverse the motions.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

X is a framing, which is relatively to the other parts a fixed support,but which I prefer in practice to carry on wheels, (not represented.)Ais a rigid framing carried on wheels a, running on Ways on thefoundation-frame X. B is a stout frame hung on stout levers E in theframing A, and capable of swinging thereon through nearly a quarter of arevolution of the levers. Bl is a carriage carriedon the framing B, andcapable of a slight horizontal motion thereon, being supported andguided in Vsuch motion by strong transverse dovetails b', which arenicely finished and mounted in corresponding transverse grooves in theframing B. O C O are strong knucklejoints framed on the carriage B1, andsupporting long levers D D D, each provided at the end with a rake-head,d, adapted to act on the coke in a corresponding retort.

In operating, the carriage A is moved forward toward the retorts, withthe carriage B1 and its connections in a lifted position. Then on themotion of the carriage A being reversed at the will of the attendant,the carriage B1 with the rakes and other connections descends a littledistance in a nearly vertical line, which introduces the several rakesinto the beds of coke in the several respective retorts, and as thecarriage A is moved back again the rakes draw out the coke thus seized.On moving the carriage A inward again the rakes are again lifted, andafter being carried in further than before they are again dropped intothe coke and again withdrawn. The coke is thus removed by severalsuccessive operations, the rakes each time entering further than before,until the retorts are empty.

I have in my experiments, for want of a better name, termed the carriageB a rising and sinking frame, or more briefly a jumping frame. Itspeculiar motions are participated in by the rakes, except when thepressure of the coke or other cause holds up the forward ends of therakes and prevents their descending as rapidly. In such cases theknuckle-joints O become available, and by yielding allow either or allthe rakes to remain slightly elevated. So soon as the retreating motionhas progressed a little the rakes will invariably descend by theirgravity to a position near the bottoms of the several retorts.

The main portion of each lever D is tubular. The tube may be screwed orkeyed into a stout casting or forging, which forms a part of theknuckle-joint. The outer portion immediately connected to the head d issolid, and is socketed into the tubular portion and held by a key orother suitable means. The heads may thus be changed at will withoutnecessitating a change of the main portion D. D1 D1 D1 are short tubesreaching upward from the levers D, and open at their upper ends toreceive water, which thus fills and cools the interior of the severallevers. I can, if preferred, connect hose from any suitable source tothe several branches D1, and thus induce a constant circulation througheach pipe, provisions being made by a diaphragm or other- Wise forcompelling the water to circulate to or near the eXtreme forward end ofeach lever, and providing for the discharge at or near the outer endinto any suitable receptacle, which may be a ditch or gutter into theflooring below.

I have devised mechanism by which the jumping frame B and itsconnections may be raised and'lowered at the proper period by simplychanging the motion of the carriage A forward and backward.

The carriage A is moved by the shaft G which runs in fixed bearings inthel sub-frame or foundation X, and is turned constantly in onedirection by a steam-en gine or other means, not represented. Thiscarries a wheel, G1, which is free to slide endwise on G, and is causedto so slide by means of arms descend ing from the carriage A so as to beheld constantly in gear with the larger wheel I1 xed on the shaft I, andcarried in bearings on A. This shaft I, thus receiving a constant motionin one direction, and being carried on the carriage A, is ready to yieldany amount of power required to work the carriage A with its connectionsin either direction. I2 is a bevel-wheel on the said shaft I, gearinginto two bevel-wheels, J1 and J2, which turn loosely in oppositedirections on the sleeve J, which is supported in bearings on thecarriage A, and'carries a spur-gear wheel, J 3, which meshes into therack A2, a long slot in the side of the sub-frame being provided toallow it to move forward and back. K is a slender shaft mounted withinthe sleeve J, and free to turn in either direction therewith. It ismoved axially at will by a hand-lever, K1, and thereby operates arms k1k2, which expand the elastic curved pieces L L, and cause them to takehold of the bevel-wheels J1 J 2, alternately, as the shaft 7c is movedin one direction or the other. The exact proportion of these clutchesneed not be detailed, as they will offer no difficulty to skilledmechanics. It may be practicable to variously modify this part of themechanism, one plan being to make the sleeve J a solid shaft capableitself' of a sufficient end motion; but I prefer the plan shown, inwhich the interior shaft K connects through short slots in the sleeve Jby means of the arms k1 k2, and causes them to act wedgewise in theopenings in the friction-bands L, mounted in the back faces of thewheels J 1 J2. The result is a turning of the wheel J3 in one directionor the other at will, and a consequent movement of the entire carriage Aand its attachments toward or from the retorts at will, according as thehand-lever Kl is inclined one way or the other. M M are sector-shapedpieces adapted to roll on the same track which forms the tread for thesupportingwheels a, or a separate track may be mounted near it, andadapted to act with precision. rIhe sectors M are mounted on a shaft, m,supported in bearings in the carriage A. As the carriage A movesbackward the friction of the sector pieces M on the ways below causesthem to roll, and thereby to turn the shaft m until it reaches theposition represented, where it remains sliding on the wayuntil themotion of the carriage A'is reversed, when the friction induces acorresponding change of position ofthe sector pieces and shaft. In aforn ward motion of the carriage A the friction causes the sector piecesM to roll on the way until it has arrived at the other extreme position,when it again commences to slide, and continues to slide so long as thecarriage A moves forward, but the moment the forward lmotion of thecarriage A- is arrested land it commences to move backward the'frictionof the sector pieces M commenceto again change the position of the shaftm.

There are, as will be observed, two sets of the levers E. The uppermostare keyed on a shaft, e, which vturns freely in bearings in thecarriagevA. The levers are extended beyond the shaft and slightly bent.v0n the bent extension E is. mounted the adjustable weight F providedwith set-screws j' f, by which it can be held at any distance desiredfrom the axis or shaft e, so as to most efficiently balance the weightofthe jumping frame and its connections. The lower lever or series oflevers E is keyed on a shaft, m, the position of which is controlled bythe sector-pieces M, as before described. It follows that at each changeof motion of the carriage A the partial rolling of the sector-pieces Mand shaft m induces a rising and backward motion or a sinking andforward motion of the jumping frame B, with its rake D and otherconnected parts. Y

The proportions of the parts are such that the forward motion of thejumping frame B. in its descent is just about equal to the backwardmotion of the carriage A required to induce it, so that, althoughcarriage A com# mences to traverse actively backward before the rakes dhave descended into their respective beds of coke, the descent of eachrake is practically vertical.

Means not represented are provided for arresting the motion of thevfoundation-carriage X at or near the right position opposite eachyvertical series of retorts; but it will some` times happen that theraking mechanism requires a slight adjustment to one side or the otherafter the carriage X is stopped. I provide for this by sliding thetransverse c arriage B a little to one side or the other on itsdovetailed supports b. Theengineer or op? erator holds with one hand thehand-lever O, which is adapted to swing horizontally on a iixed bearingin the jumping frame B and give motion to the carriage B by means of arack in the rear face of the latter, asfully shown in Fig. 3. p

By means of this lever the carriage B and the series of rakes D D D maybe moved laterally several inches when required without interfering withtheir vertical or their forward and backward motion.

The shaft m is pressed downward by springs E acting on the binders A.

sector-pieces M M, notwithstanding slight inequalities in the way onwhich they move.

I find it is important to hold the jumping frame very steady during thebackward motion. on its back edges which extend out alittle and engagewith the main frame A or with small projections thereon, as will beobvious.

I claim as my inventioni The effect is to f induce an even and regularfriction on thel To insure this I provide small stops B2 1. Incombination with a carriage, A, moving forward and baekward on thesupport X, the rising and sinking frame B, rakes D d, and means forraising and lowering them so as to enter the retorts in an elevated andreturn in a depressed position, as herein specified.

2. The knuckle-joints C between the rakelevers D and the rising andsinking frame and its connections, as herein specified.'

3. In combination with the traversing carriage A, rising and sinkingframe B, and conneeted rakes D d, the transverse carriage B andadjusting means O, arranged to allow the adjustment of the rakes to oneside or the other within moderate limits, as herein specified.

4. The friction-sectors M and spring H, in combination with thetraversing carriage A and its operating means, rising and sinking frameB, rakes D d, and a balancing or partially balancing means, F, arrangedas shown, so that the changes of motion of the carriage A will elevateor depress the rakes, as herein specified.

5. The stops B2 on the jumping frame B, arranged to serve relatively tothe main frame A and to the means of raising and lowering B, as and forthe purposes herein specified.

6. The water-connections D', in combination with the hollow levers D,rakes d, and means for operating them, as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day ofJanuary, 187 3, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS F. BOWLAND.

Witnesses:

THOMAS D. STETSON, W. C. DEY.

